dobson



W. DOBSON.

WARP THREAD AND LIKE SELECTING AND SEPARATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION HLED FEB. 15, I917.

1 ,35 3 ,947, PatentedSept. 28, 1920.

f 5 5 SHEETSSHEET I. 0 0 U w. DOBISON.

WARP THREAD AND LIKE SELECTING AND SEPARATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I5. I911 1,353,97. PatentedSept. 28,1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. DUBSON.

' WARP THREAD AND LIKE SELECTING AND SEPARATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, I917- 1 353,947, PatentedSept. 28, 1920.

5 SHEE'IS-SHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I5. IBM

- W. DOBSON.

WARP THREAD AND LIKE SELECTING AND SEPARATING MECHANISM.

' Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

w. mason.

WARP THREAD AND LIKE SELECTQ NG AND SEPARATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION men FEB. 15. 1917.

1,353,947, PatentedSept. 28,1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- fly 7.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM DOIBSON, 0F BLACKBURN, ENGLAND.

WARP-THREAD AND LIKE SELECTING AND SEPARATING MECHANISM.

Application filed February 15, 1917. Serial No. 148,899.

To all whom it may concern:

e it known that I, lVmLIAM DOBSON, a Subject ofthe King of (treat Britain and Ireland, andresident of Blackburn, in the county of. Lancaster, England, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Warp-Thread and like Selecting and Separating Mechanism, of which the -following isa specification.

These improvements refer to warp thread and like selecting and separating apparatus, and relate in particular to apparatus of the kind comprising a carriage movable along a guide bar forming'part of a drawing-in frame, selector and separator mechanism upon the carriage, mechanism for traversing the carriage and a tceler upon the carriage for controlling the traverse oi the carriage, said teeler being the selector hook itself or a separate member, and the arrangement being such that upon the selector being operated the warp threads are select ed one by one and transferred to a separating guide and thereby held in a position convenient for the drawer-in to seize them by his hook and draw them through the heald eyes and reed. -Heretofore, in this type of apparatus the selector and separator mechanism has usually been operated by a foot treadle. In some cases it has been operated by a motor mounted upon the carriage, and in this latter case, for the purpose of pre- 'venting the threads accumulating faster upon the separator guide than the di.-awer-in candraw them through the healds and reed, a second feeler has been provided adapted to stop the motor when acted upon by the first of the separated threads and restart the motor when the threads have been removed trom the separator guide.

The present invention has for its object. a more reliable arrangement of mechanical or like power driven warp thread or like selecting and separating apparatus of the kind referred to, the main features of which are,tirst, that the prime mover operatescontinuously and is preferably extraneous to the carriage,and secondly, that the power is transmitted through a mechanical make-and-break device which is both positive and sensitive, and which is subject to the control of a sensitive secondary feeler and the separated threads.

i A further feature of the invention is an improved arrangement of the motion-transmitting devices and guide-bar supporting however arranged in the usual way.

means, whereby the carriage and barmay be drawn bodily away from the warp threads without having to disconnectany of the motion-transmitting parts, another feature of the invention consisting in arranging theguard bar in such manneras to serve both as the bar for guiding the selector carriage and as a prcsser-bar for cledecting th sheet or unselected warp thread. Upon the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a transverse sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan or" one construction of warp thread selecting and separating mechanism embodying the devices for automatically controlling the said mechanism, the carrier bar and presser bar. being The section in 1 is taken on line l'1, Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 illustrates an end elevation (in part), and

Fig. l apart front elevation of a warp thread drawing-in fram with'the selecting and separating mechanism and guide bar in position, such view also showing the preferred arrangement of apparatusfor trans mitting motive power to the vibrator bar.

Fig. 5 illustrates a repeat of the plan shown in Fig. 2, but partly in section and with certain parts in a position slightlyjdif 'Ecrent to that of the same parts in Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 5 5 and 5 illustrate details of Fig. 5. V

Figs. 6, 7 and 8, illustrate modifications hereinafter referred to.

Fig. 9 illustrates a transverse section, and Fig. 10 a part plan of the sel ctor" and separator carriage and. guide bar when the bar is adapted to serve also as the presser bar. 7

Figs. 11 and '12 are modifications of Fig. 9., 1 Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, which show the usual arrangement of carrier and presser bar. (6 is the carrier bar. upon which lies an inverted T-shaped wooden part a. The ends of the carrier bar are slidably supported in the slotted parts of two brackets b,

bolted to the ends or sides a of the drawing.-

in frame, see Fig. (Z is the guide bar, the two edges of which are parallel to one another and form rails for the wheels 6 e '6 of the selector carriage. The wheels'c c are axially supported by studs depending from the carriage base plate f, while the wheel 6 is axially supported upon a stud (ill ' the presser bar a Upon the top face of the car is mounted the which, in turn, separator comb Pivotally s and below the slide the selec and the pawl Z, the pivot of the inclined so that the free end of the shall normally lie clear of the rate in o s with or secured ounted upon t wheel an formed the wheel e c carriage plate 7 i (U feeler lover a for controlling the of the pawl Also mounted upon the carriage plate f is the further or auxiliary slide 0, see F 5*, 5, which is held to the plate by a rod or pin 3) below the 1 late, the slide and plate having depending lugs 0 0 and 7' through which the rod or pin loosely passes, the ends of the rod being riveted over to prevent its withdrawal. The slide 0 is formed out of a stamping of sheet metal, part of which is arranged edge-on relatively to the plate, while other parts are horizontal. In the plate 7 is a slot ,1 through which the lug 0 of the slide 0 projects, and in which it may slide to and fro. At its rear end the slide is bent down and forked to engage the vibrator bar 9, see Figs. 1 and 3, while at its other and front end, the slide is provided with two lateral tongues 0 between which is pivoted one end of the trip lever r, the pivot being inclined so that the lever shall always tend to turn about the pivot in the oirection of the arrow, Fig. 2.

Upon the slide 2' is secured a small strip of sheet metal 8, see Figs. 5, 5", the forward end of which is raised and forms the abutment bracket for the lever r. The edge of said bracket is stepped to form a shoulder 8 against which the lever 0 may bear when allowed to engage the bracket. The slide 5 is alsoformed with a shoulder 2' see F ig. 5, against which the lug '0 of the slide 0 normally bears, the abutment of the lug 0 against the shoulder i and the abutment of the lever 7 againstthe shoulder a insuring of the twoslides normally moving as one. Extending downward from the trip lever r and through an opening in the plate 7 is a projection r 'Pivoted to the carriage plate f is the secondary feeler lever t, which normally bears lightly against the projection r of the trip lever, while its free end (see Fig. 2) lies slightly in advance of the endmost tooth of the separator, or the tooth corresponding in position to the number of threads to be separated before stopping the m ehanism.

With the parts thus normally arranged the operations may be described as follows: Assuming the sheet of warp threads have been laid nicely parallel across the presser bar a and also that the selector mechanism has been placed in position on the guide bar a? to take the first of the threads about to be selected and drawnthrough the healds and reed by the operator, the eccentric w is set in motion. With the eccentric acting upon the vibrator bar g, the slides 2', 0 are moved to and fro, and in moving in the forward direction cause the needle is (which has a very small spuron the side next the threads) to engage the endmost thread of the sheet and carry it forwardly out of the line of the sheet and then diagonally to a point in front of the separator teeth on the of the plate In Fig. 2 the needle is shown in the position just prior to selecting the thread, and in F 5 it is shown in the position after carrying the thread in front of the separator teeth. The diagonal movement is pro duced by a projection on the needle holcer engaging cam face 7 on the plate 7. As the slides 21, 0 move back the selected thread is caught by the first tooth of the separator teeth, the needle resuming its riginal position 2) under the pull of the spring Z2 as soon the projection lies clear of the cam face f Jitl each forward movement of the slides 0 the comb 7' is also moved forward and owing to a projection 7' on such comb engaging a further cam face f** on the plate f the comb enga es the previously acted thread held 1e of the separator teeth, and transfers it to the next tooth, see Fig. 5, the comb, as it retires, lightly rubbing against such thread, and finally resuming its original position, Fig. 2, under the pull of a light spring Each time the comb moves forward it moves the selected threads lying in engagement with the selector teeth one tooth. and unless previously removed, a series of threads collect in the last tooth.

As the slides e, 0 move forward and backward they also operate the pawl Z and cause it on the backward stroke to rotate the ratchet wheel m and with it the wheel 6 and thereby advance the carriage along the guide bar (Z. In thus advancing the carriage the needle 70 is kept in contact with the unselected threads.

To prevent the carriage moving endwise with the selection of each thread and only allow it to move endwise after a few threads have been selected, the feeler n which normally bears against the first of the unsellrS lSG

of engagement with ley m of the lever relatively to the disk, and

allows the pawl Z to lie out the teeth of the ratchet wheel "m (see Fig. 2) until the said few threads have been selected by which time the feeler again holds the pawl Z in engagement with the ratchet wheel, the pawl, owing to its axis being inclined, moving out of engagement with the ratchet wheel by lected threads,

. gravity.

Until the first of the selected threads bearsagainst the secondary feeler lever, the slides 2', 0 will move to and fro as one, but upon the first selected thread meeting and pressing against the feeler lever t, the latter will trip the lever r and break the driving connection between the two slides i, 0, see Fig. 5. So long as such connection is broken and in spite of the slide 0 continuing to move to and fro, no further threads will be selected, but upon the separated threads being removed from the separator the trip lever r will be free to return into line with the bracket 8 and thus automatically'restore the driving connection be tween the two slides, after which the selec tion and separation of the threads will pro needas' before.

. Referring 'now to the means for operating the vibrator bar 7, Figs. 1, 3 and at, a is the axis from which the vibrator bar is carried and such axis is supported in bearings secured to the rear face of the carrier bara. The vibrator bar and its axis extend across the full width of "the drawing-in frame, and the bar is connected to the axis a by small lugs or arms secured at intervalsto the bar. Rigidly and adjustably secured to the axis a near one end, is the pendent lever 42, which, as shown, is made in two parts, and with the upper part bent so as to pass below the projecting slotted part of the bracket 6 to a position outside the frame. Carriedby the lower part of the lever is a stud c whereon is loosely mounted a roller o Eccentrically mounted upon a fixed stud w, carried by a bracket 10 is the circular diskm, in one with which is the grooved pul- By means of the endless band 00 and a further grooved pulley (not shown) upon a power-driven shaft (or upon a motor shaft), the disk cam is continuously rotated. The roller e is held to the periphery of the disk partly by reason of the position partly by a spring 1 this latter being connected at one end to' a lever arm 3 on the vibrator axis a and at the other end hooking over the top edge of the presser bar a \Vith the disk as in motion, the lever c is moved to and fro and also the vibrator bar g, which thereby imparts reciprocating movement to the slide 0.

By employing the arrangement of lever a; and disk at, it-will beseen that the carrierployed.

bar and selector mechanism may be readily drawn back along the slots of the brackets 7), without having in any way to disconnect any part of the power-transmitting mechanism. Similarly, the power-transmitting parts are ready to operate as soon as the carrier bar and selector mechanism are moved forward to the normal position. To guard against accidental disturbance of the carrier bar when in the normal position, the brackets b are provided with hinged struts and screws If, these latter, on being adjusted, bearing against the carrier bar, see F 3. l

Instead of the disk being eccentrically mounted on its axis, it may be centrally mounted thereon and the diskoperate the lever a) by means of one or more adjustable studs m projecting from the face of the disk, see Fig. 6, the lever o in such case hearing directly'against the stud or studs. When two studs are used and arranged at diametrically opposite points, the slides i, 0, will be moved twice for each revolution of the disk. I

To cause the movement of the selector needle to be slower at the moment of selecting a thread and quicker when transferring it to the separator guide, the lever '0 may be shaped as shown.

lVhile preferring to use the vibrator bar for moving the slide 0, it will be understood that any other and suitable reciprocating motion-transmitting devices may be em, Further, in lieu of operating the said devices through the lever o,it may be operated through any other and suitable means.

In Figs. 7 and 8 analternative arrangement of motion transmitting device is shown. Extending across the drawing-in frame is a square, or like rod or shaft 2 and upon such rod or shaft slidably fits an cccentrically mounted disk 2 This disk lies in an opening in the slide 0*, see Fig. 8, the metal of the slide being turned down at each end of the opening to form surfaces for the disk to bear against.

The shaft is mounted at each end in brackets :3 supported upon the carrier bar a, and upon one end of the shaft a grooved pulley By means of an endless l Tug around such pulley and a lley on a power-driren orinotor t shows i-the said shaft and disk As the disk :ooates it moves the slides and 0* to and fro, and thus operates the selector mechanisin in like manner to the vibrator bar. .ls the selector carriage travels along the guide ha r the disk 2 moves along the shaft .2. The upper thread clamping bars 1. F2 and the lower clamping bars 3, t are carried upon the brackets 5,90 as that the whole of the thread selecting apparatus may be read-' ily applied to, and removed from the draw ing-in frame.

The front lower clamping 3 is slidably carried at each end upon a rod 5 to allow of gaiting up new warps.

7 Referring now to Figs. 9 and 1.0, the guide bar al instead or being made and arranged as shown in llig. l, is made wider and arranged at an angle, its front edge lying as near to the level of: the plate F as possible, and extending slightly beyond portions of the front edge of the plate, see 10. The lever g carrying the wheel 6, see F 2, is dispensed with and a shorter lever pivoted to the plate f is substituted, a spring .2 holding the wheel yieldingly to the guide bar, see Fig. 10. lVith the guide bar thus arranged its front edge serves both as the rail for the wheel 6 or" th carriage and as the suriacefor deflecting the threads.

lligs. ll and 12 show how, in order obtain similar results, the guide bar may he stepped, or simply made wit although in this last example the guide bar does not he as close to the plate 7" as in the case of the bar shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

In making the guide bar serve also the presser bar, any irregularity of the bar affecting the threads, also affects the carriage, and thus there is little or no risk oi the selector needle being drawn too far h ii and missing the first of the unselected warp threads. Further, by using only one bar, the cost or" the other bar is saved, and the firing of the one bar calls for less care and involves less trouble than the fixin of the same bar relatively to another bar.

What I claim is 1. In warp thread and like selecting and separating apparatus, a carriage, a guide bar along which the carriage may move and means for supporting the bar, mechanism upon the carriage for traversing thecarriage along the bar, and a feeler upon the carriage for controlling the traverse of the carriage, a needle-like and forwardly and diagonally movable selector hook upon said carriage, separator mechanism also upon said carriage adapted to receive the selected threads from the selector hook and hold a series of them spaced apart, actuating mechanism upon the carriage to actuate the selector hook and separator mechanism and the said traversing mechanism, a continuously running prime mover for operating the said actuating mechanism, a mechanical make and break device between the prime mover and the said actuating mechanism, through which the power is transmitted, and further feeleralso upon the carriage which is acted upon by the separated threads and which controls the mechanical make-andbreak device, as

herein set forth.

2. In warp thread and like selecting and separating apparatus, a carriage, a guide bar along which the carriage may move, and means for supporting the bar, mechanism upon the carriage for traversing the carriage along the bar, and a feeler upon the carriage for controlling the traverse of the carriage, ,a continuously running prime mover extraneous to the carriage for oper ating the said actuating mechanism, a me- -hanical make-and-break device between the prime mover and the said actuating mechanism through which the power is transmitted, and a further and sensitive feeler also upon the carriage which is acted upon by the separated threads and which controls the mechanical make-and-break device, as set forth.

3. ln warp thread and like selecting and separating apparatus, a carriage, a toothed or crater upon the carriage, a guide bar which the carriage may move and means supporting the bar, mechanism upon the carriage for traversing the carriage along the bar, a feeler upon the carri age for controlling the traverse oi' the carrige, a slide upon the carriage, a selector hook and separator comb upon such slide, a further slide upon the carriage, a trip lever pivoted one end upon one slide, a shoulder upon the other slide ith which the free end oi the trip lever normally engages, the two sn-qies normally abutting at one part, a continuously running p1 one mover, motion transmitting means between the prime mover and the second named slide and a further :celer upon the carriage adapted to be acted upon v the separated threads and in turn to act upon the trip lever, as set forth.

l. ln warp thread and like selecting and separating apparatus, a carriage, having a e rated base plate, a guide bar along which he carria may move, and means for suppoting the bar, mechanism upon the carrings for traversing the carriage along the bar, a ifeeler upon'the carriage for controlling the traverse of the carriage, a slide upon the carriage, a selector hook and separator comb on such. slide, a further slide upon the carriage, a trip lever pivoted at one end upon one slide, and shoulder on the other slide with which the free end of the trip lever "normally engages, the two slides also normally abutting at one part, a prime mover extraneous to the carriage, motion-transmitting means between the prime mover and the r l second-named slide, a sensitive feeler pivotally mounted at one end upon the carriage and at the other end extending across the serrations of the carriage base plate, and said feeler at a point along its length and near to its pivoted end adapted normally to bear against the trip lever, as set forth.

5. In warp thread and like selecting and separating apparatus, a carriage, a guide bar along which the carriage may move,

and means for supporting the bar, mechanism upon the carriage for traversing the carriage along'the bar, and a feeler upon the carriage for controlling the traverse ofthe carriage, a prime mover extra- .neous to the carriage, a vibrator bar, mo

tion-transmitting means between said prime mover and bar, a slide on the carriage adapted to loosely engage the vibrator bar and permit of movement along the bar as well as with the bar, a further slide upon the carriage, a selector hook and separator comb upon the further slide, a mechanical make-and-break device between the slides, and a further feeler upon the carriage adapted to be acted upon by the separated threads and to control the said make-andbreak device, as set forth.

6. In warp thread and like selecting and separating apparatus, a carriage, a guide bar along which the carriage may move, a needle-like and forwardly and diagonally movable selector hook upon said carriage, separator mechanism also upon said carriage adapted to receive the selected threads from the selector hook and hold a series of them spaced apart, actuating mechanism upon the carriage to actuate the selector hook and separator mechanism and the said traversing mechanism, a continuously running prime mover, means for transmitting motion from the prime mover to the said actuating mechanism, a feeler upon the carriage for controlling the traverse of the car riage, means for automatically stopping and restarting the motion of the selector hook and separator actuating mechanism under the control of the separated threads, means for supporting the guide bar and allowing the bar to be moved bodily toward and away from the warp threads to be selected, as set forth.

7. In warp thread and like selecting and separating apparatus, a carriage, a guide bar along which the carriage may move, selector and separator mechanism upon said carriage, mechanism upon the carriage for traversing the carriage along the bar, and a feeler upon the carriage for controlling the traverse of the carriage, a continuously running prime mover, a vibrator bar, a lever supported upon the axis of the vibrator bar a rotary member driven by the prime mover adapted to move said lever to and fro angularly, a feeler lever upon the carriage additional to the first named feeler, a mechanical make-and-break device through which the motion of the vibrator bar is transmitted to the selector and separator mecha- WILLIAM DOBSON.

Witnesses GEORGE H. LEWIS, L. Fmmme. 

